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Water levels are slowly dropping at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam after crews successfully restarted the adjoining hydroelectric plant Friday. According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, turbines are now pushing about one-third more water through the system—an extra 2,000 cubic feet per second. As of Sunday morning, levels had fallen slightly and remain just over seven inches below the top of the structure. The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division says levels could fluctuate as water continues moving in from upstream.
Upstream, crews are actively clearing debris at Tower Dam, increasing flow and sandbagging at Kleber Dam, and sealing small sinkholes near Alverno Dam to prevent seepage. Meanwhile, conditions around Black Lake have forced some residents to evacuate as rising water threatens homes, underscoring that while conditions are improving at the main dam, the broader situation remains unstable.
Flooding impacts continue across northern Michigan, including in Traverse City and nearby Antrim County. Along the Boardman River, water levels that recently hit record highs have begun to ease, but damage remains widespread—roads have been closed, a bridge washed out, and some evacuations were carried out in low-lying areas. Officials say conditions are improving, but hazards like sinkholes and erosion continue to pose risks.
Meanwhile, at the Bellaire Dam, water levels have stabilized at roughly a foot below the top after days of concern. Even so, officials say the situation remains tense, with upstream conditions and additional rainfall still a factor. Across the region, emergency declarations and response efforts remain in place as crews monitor rivers, infrastructure, and dam systems closely. Top of Form Bottom of Form
On the Island, the Peaine Township Board held a special meeting Friday evening, drawing moderate attendance as residents learned more about how local road work gets done. Officials shared information on dust control, gravel, culverts, and how the township works with the Charlevoix County Road Commission—including both short- and long-term costs to taxpayers. Community members asked questions during an open discussion. Township leaders say the session was helpful, and two more identical information meetings are planned this summer to reach seasonal residents.
Over in Petoskey, the Petoskey City Council is set to meet tonight to decide the future of the Little Traverse Wheelway, a popular 26-mile trail along Lake Michigan. A lawsuit from property owners has put pressure on the city to repair a damaged section—or give up access altogether. Repairs could cost up to $20 million, and a proposed settlement would give the city one year to secure funding and permissions. If not, key easements could be lost, potentially cutting off part of the trail. The council meets at 6 p.m. at the Petoskey City Hall with the meeting livestreamed online.
In Detroit, Michigan Democrats have endorsed their candidates for two key statewide offices. Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist won the nomination for Secretary of State, while Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit secured the nod for Attorney General. But the most contentious race was for the University of Michigan Board of Regents. Civil rights attorney Amir Makled defeated incumbent Jordan Acker in a heated contest tied to protests over the war in Gaza. Acker who urged action against pro-Palestinian protestors on campus faced criticism over alleged lewd messages, while Makled drew scrutiny for past social media posts some saw as supporting Hamas. Party leaders are now urging unity heading into the fall election.
At the Elks, the Queen of Hearts remains in hiding with with Ed Rogall winning the draw but picking the Seven of Spades. The pot is $2,685.
The Queen of Hearts has eluded her seekers another time. Image from Elks Facebook post
Finally, a reminder that the Boat Company has added a second run for this Friday. The Emerald Isle will head back to the Island after its morning run leaving Charlevoix at 2:30 and heading back to the mainland at 5:20. |
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Now here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle…
First your meeting planner…
Waste Management Committee meets Tuesday at 1:30. BIA Board meets at 4:00. Heritage Group meets at 5:30 Wednesday. AA meets Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6:00. Locations and more details are in the calendar entries online.
On the fun front today…
Monday evening is All You Can Eat Pizza and Salad night at the Shamrock.
Tuesday at 10:00, Babes & Toddlers mix it up at the library and there is Pickleball in the Theater at the BIC Center and, at 10:30, there’s Chair Strength Training up in the Hangout. At 2:15 there’s a Home School Meet-up at the library. Tuesday evening is trivia time at the BIC Center. Let’s Get Quizzical starts at 6:00 p.m. Sign your team up at tickets dot bic center dot org.
Looking ahead to highlights for the rest of the week…
Wednesday, there’s BINGO at 1:00 at the BIC Center. And at 5:00 it’s Time for Art, at the BIC Center. This week the final session on creating plaster molds led by Cindy Ricksgers. Also Wednesday evening, students from B-I-C-S C-T-E programs will head across for a dinner honoring career and technical education class leaders. Congratulations to them and their teachers. Out in our Dark Skies, the Lyrid Meteor shower peaks tonight. There’s info on where to watch at dark sky island dot org.
Thursday Women’s Bible Study is on at 10:00 at the Christian Church. There’s Pickleball at the BIC Center at 10:00 in the Theater. At 10:30 up in the Hangout there’s Senior Tai Chi. Thursday evening, there’s Pickleball at 5:00 in the Theater at the BIC Center. Afterwards, you can grab the burger & a beer special at the Shamrock starting at 5:00, and its Euchre Night down at Whiskey Point Brewing. Cards hit the table at 7:00.
[Thursday evening on the radio, drop in for W-V-B-I’s newest music show. It’s The Underground with Leila Freijy. It’s the underground sound of grunge and more from the 80s and 90s with special features every week. Tune in at 7:00 for two hours Underground.]
Friday, Senior + Vets Coffee & Donuts is at the BIC Center from 9:00 to 11:00. There’s Pickleball at 10:00 and Chair Strength Training at 10:30.
[On the radio, Kick off your weekend with our fantastic Friday lineup! After the 6:00pm news, enjoy “That Thing with Rich Appel” featuring top forty hits from the 70s. At 9:00pm, tune into “The Titus Jennings Experience” offering music from all genres, followed by “The Midnight Special” with Marilyn Rea Beyer at 11:00pm for music, farce comedy, and late-night escape.]
Saturday, the Fiero Code Club is on at the library at 1:00. There are two movies at the BIC Center. The 3:00 show is Arco, an animated sci-fi story of time travel that’s about kids and great for kids. Rated PG. At 6:00, it’s the award winning H is for Hawk. It’s the story of a daughter grieving the loss of her dad who is rescued by a stubborn hawk. Rated PG-13. And, remember, Saturdays are Prime Rib Night at the Shamrock.
[On the radio, tune in for Country Classics at 5:00 Saturday evening with host Sheri Timsak. At 7:00, take a trip back to the best of the 80s and 90s with the Mix Tape show (that’s a 120-minute TDK cassette tape for those in the know) hosted by WVBI’s Adam Pettigrew. Mark Beltaire takes over at 9:00 with Rockin’ the Boat and continues at 10:00 with the Blues Cruise. Cousin Dan wraps up the evening with the Too Good Radio Show starting at 11:00.]
Sunday, there are services at the Christian Church at 10:00 and mass at Holy Cross at 12:15. |
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Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is Linda. If that’s your name, come on it to the BIC Center to pick out a free drink of your choice. |
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On our Birthday List today: Sue Heller Martin, Michael Stebbins, and Chris McGee. Happy Birthday to Sue, Chris and Michael and if we missed you on the list Happy Birthday to you too from everyone at the BIC Center and WVBI. |
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TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. The Island Beltway continues to improve with lots of work from the road crews. West side drive is pretty much back to normal. Work continues on East Side. There are no bridge delays. Still, let’s be careful out there, especially in the school zone. |
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On this date in 2010, the offshore oil rig Deepwater Horizon explodes in the Gulf of Mexico. The blast, on a platform run by Transocean, kills 11 workers and triggers the largest accidental marine oil spill in history—releasing millions of barrels of oil.
Aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo by Green Fire Productions from Wikimedia Commons. |
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Our Merriam-Webster Word of the Day is indoctrinate (verb) [in-DAHK-truh-nayt]. In modern usage it usually means to brainwash as most often used today. The word comes from Latin verb docēre [DOH-keh-reh], meaning to teach. And when it first appeared in English it meant to the same. Today it’s most often used when ideas are taught in a strong or one-sided way. |
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Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Monday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day: “There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.” |
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On a lighter note: Why did the cookie go to the doctor? It was feeling crumbly. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Monday, April 20th, 2026. I’m Kevin Boyle reporting from W-V-B-I’s Langford Family Studios wishing you a great day and asking: why not go ahead and make it the best day ever? And thanks for listening. |
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Today Sunny, with a high near 39/42. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 45/50. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 35. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 44/49. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 49/54. Thursday Night A chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Breezy. Friday Showers likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48/52. Breezy. Friday Night Showers likely, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 45/48. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 45/49. |
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Out on the Big Drink … |
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Today WNW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. Sunny. Waves 1 to 2 ft. Tuesday SW wind 10 to 15 kt becoming WNW in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 kt. Sunny. Waves 4 ft subsiding to 1 ft. Wednesday Variable winds 5 kt or less. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. |
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Air Quality Index at 6:30 this morning was 3. |
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Coming up in our Community Calendar Report…
Floodwaters are slowly receding at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam, but evacuations near Black Lake and ongoing concerns at the Bellaire Dam show the situation isn’t over yet.
We’ll also tell you about damage in Traverse City, a key decision tonight on the Little Traverse Wheelway in Petoskey, and the latest from Michigan Democrats’ convention—including a controversial regents race. Plus, the Queen of Hearts jackpot grows again…
…those stories plus a run-down of local events, birthdays and more after global and national news from F-S-N. [Time check.] |
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Today’s Featured Image: This morning’s nippy temps in the teens are offset with sanguine skies over Paradise Bay and the Mackinac Bridge. Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
